Machine for deforming sheet metal



Nov. 28, 1933. L. (3. SMITH El AL MACHINE FOR DEFOHMING SHEET METAL Filed June 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 28, 1933. 1.. c. SMITH ET AL 1,937,466

MACHINE FOB. DEFORMING S HEET METAL Filed June 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN 1933- L. c. SMITH ET AL MACHINE FOR DEFORMING SHEET METAL Filed June 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Jfbrus/aus 1 BY we/1&6: 6m) MORNE Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Lawrence C. Smith and Stanislaus Przyborowski.

Buffalo, N. Y., assigners to Fedders Manufacturing Company, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application June 2, 1932. Serial No. 614,924

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for forming and assembling a plurality of strips of sheet material.

The present invention comprehends a simul- 5 taneous forming means for sheet strip material, such as copper, and a softer material such as strip solder. wherein the dies thereof intimately connect the strips in a light assembly. This has been found to provide an emcient method of producing cooling fin sections for refrigerator condensers or other allied heat exchange devices, since the formed strip carries its own connecting means in the solder strip and may be expeditiously assembled with a coil or tube by the simple application of heat.

The invention will also be found to reside in a novel rotating die structure which is adapted to produce an accurately formed ribbon under a range of differences in resiliency of the strip stock. Other features and advantages of the invention are more specifically pointed out in the accompanying specification and drawings, wherein:

Fig.

1 is a perspective view of one side of the machine.

2 is a top plan view of the machine. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

forming rolls showing the ribbon formation.

Fig.

10 is a perspective view showing a portion of a finished ribbon.

This machine is specially devised to form the type of ribbon fins disclosed in co-pending application Serial No. 600,901. filed March 24, 1932, wherein a ribbon 21 of copper or like material is formed with uniform corrugations 22 (Fig. 10) having crest portions 23, each of which is provided with a central depressed portion or tube saddle 24. A relatively narrow solder ribbon 25 is assembled with the ribbon 21 in intimate contact with the medial portions thereof and thus traverses all the saddles 24. It will be understood of course, that while the herein described embodiment of the invention is intended to produce the ribbon shown in Fig. 10, the machine is not lim-- ited to the making of articles of this form.

The machine generally comprises a bed 30 upon which is mounted two spaced pairs of driven die rollers (Fig. 3), the foremost pair 31, 32 of which continuously withdraws both strip copper and strip solder from suitably mounted supply reels and deforms the same in transit, forming the above described corrugations and saddles. Guide devices 33 and 34 provide means for positioning the strips in superimposed relation for entry into these rolls. The second set of die rollers 35, 36 receives the deformed and assembled ribbon and is properly synchronized with the rollers 31 and 32 to contract the ribbon to accurate dimensions for delivery to a cut-off mechanism 37, where it is cut into equal lengths to complete the operation.

The bed 30 is formed with a face 41, upon which the die roller units and the cut-off mechanism 37 are mounted. At one extremity of this face, a pair of pedestals 42 are formed (Figs. 3 and 8) and they are each provided with a channel 43 which together form a mounting for the guide device 33.

The guide device 33 is formed of a mounting plate 44 and attached lower and side guide members 45 and 46 respectively, which provide a guideway for receiving and guiding the brass strip to the rollers 31 and 32. The side members 46 are each formed with gib portions 47 which cooperate to slidably receive a pair of top members 48 for the guideway. These members are secured to the sides 46 by the bolts 49 and are adapted to engage the top surface of the strip to retain it in proper position in the guideway. The device is bodily adjustable by means of screws 51 which enter the channels 43 through the walls thereof and engage the sides of the mounting plate 44.

The strip solder reel 55 (Fig. 8) is mounted on a spindle 56 supported by a pair of opposed brackets 57 secured to the guide device 33 and is thus adjustable therewith. A guide channel 58 is mounted between the brackets 57 and extends downwardly to the rolls 31, 32 thus guiding the solder strip into superimposed position on the copper strip for entry into such rolls.

The lower die roller 31 is provided with a central die tooth portion 61 and axial shaft portions 62 and 63 mounted in bearing standards 64 and 65 (Fig. 4). The upper roll 32 similarly is formed with a central tooth portion 66 and shaft portions 67 and 68, such shaft portions being received in bearing blocks 69 mounted for vertical movement in slideways 71 formed in the standards 64 and 65. The tooth portion 61 meshes with the tooth portion 66 to provide forming dies for the ribbon and also to provide a driving connection. The roller 31 is itself driven by a drive mechanism consisting of a drive shaft 73 extending through the bed 30 and receiving a driven pulley 74 at one end and a pinion 75 at the opposite extremity. A gear '16 is driven by the pinion '15 and is secured to the shaft portion 62 of the roll 31.

The roller 32 is resiliently mounted for vertical movement so that it is urged into meshing contact with the roll 31 and yet is responsive to shock of irregular or unusual loads in the forming operation whereupon it may move upward. The mounting means comprises heavy springs 78 engaging between the lower face of each bearing block 69 and the standards 64 and 65 and relatively lighter springs engaging between the upper face of each bearing block 69. Adjusting screws 79 mounted in cross bars 81 secured to the top of each standard, provide means by which the upper springs may be adjusted to the proper degree of compression.

Referring to Fig. 9, it will be observed that the meshing portions 61 and 66 of the rollers 31, 32 are devised to form the corrugations 22 and saddles 24 in the ribbon. For example, the teeth of the portion 61 are centrally relieved to form a saddle die portion 83 in each tooth thereof, while the portion 66 is provided with cooperating raised portions 84 at the base of each of its teeth. Thus, upon rotation of the rollers 31; 32, the ribbon is drawn between the portions 61 and 66 and is corrugated between the teeth of the meshing portions thereof, and is deformed at its medial portion to provide the saddles 24 on the crests of each corrugation.

The formed ribbon, upon discharge from the rollers 31, 32, is guided in a channel shaped track 86 to the rollers 35, 36. Inasmuch-as there is a tendency for the ribbon to cling to the rolls 31, 32, means are provided to cooperate with the track 86 to prevent excess buckling of the ribbon as a result of such tendency. Such means comprise a rod 87 which is bent downwardly into the track 86 and it is adapted to engage in the saddles of the ribbon to prevent upward movement. A strap member 89 mounted on the standards 64 and 65 forms a mounting for this member.

The rollers 35 and 36 are mounted in standards 91 and 92 (Figs. 5 and 9), the lower roller 35 being provided with shaft portions 93 and 94 engaging through such standards and the upper roller having shaft portions 95 and 96, each rotatably engaging in a bearing block 97. These bearing blocks are mounted in slideways formed in the standards 91 and 92 and they are each adjustable between screws 101 and 102, entered in the standard base and the cross bars 103 thereof respectively. The shaft portions 94 and 96 of these rollers protrude through their bearings and are provided with meshing gears 105, 106 secured thereto. The lower gear 105 is driven from the shaft portion 63 of the driven roll 31 by means of a gear 107 secured thereto and an intermediate gear 108, thus imparting a similar direction of rotation to the rollers 35 and 36 as to the rollers 31 and 32.

Inasmuch as the rollers 35 and 36 are driven by their gears 105 and 106. the die teeth portions 111 and 112 thereof do not actively mesh as in the case of the rollers 31 and 32, but rather are sufficiently spaced during rotation to engage merely the crests and the bottoms of the ribbon corrugations, whereupon a crimping action is efiected to reduce the pitch dimension of the corrugations (Fig. 9). The circular pitch of the teeth portions 111, 112 is accordingly less than that of the meshing portions 61, 66 of the rollers 31 and 32. The saddles of the corrugations are not affected during this operation since the die teeth portions 111 and 112 are cut away to form relieved portions 113 and 114 respectively to provide clearance for the saddles.

After leaving the second set of rollers, the tinished ribbon engages on a guide track 115 similar to the described track 86 and which directs the ribbon into the cut-oil! mechanism 37. This mechanism may be of any type suitable to shear the ribbon in timed relation to the described rolls. and, inasmuch as it is not claimed as part of the combination it is not more specifically described herein.

In operation it will be found that, although the first set of roller dies 31, 32 form the essential contours in the ribbon, the natural resiliency thereof will not permit the permanent forming of deep corrugations due to dimensional limitations occasioned by the dual meshing and forming functions of these rollers. For example, after the first rolling operation, the ribbon shown expands as much as ten per cent over its desired pitch. The second set of rollers 35, 36 are provided to correct this condition and inasmuch as actual forming is not demanded therein, the gear like profiles of the die teeth of the same may be of stub type as compared to the longer teeth of the first set of rollers, and, since they are independently driven by the gears 105 and 106, it is not necessary that they mesh in driving engagement. These conditions permit the teeth to crimp the corrugations to less than their pitch so that upon leaving the rollers 35 and 36 the ex pansion is compensated for and the pitch of the corrugations is substantially that which is desired.

As a result of the above described operation, the lineal speed of the ribbon portion delivered by the rollers 35, 36 is less than that of the portion leaving the first set of rollers 31, 32. This is caused by the pitch diminution during the second operation and is compensated for by the previously noted pitch reduction of the intermeshing die portions of the second set of rollers.

It will be understood, however, that in merely simultaneously forming strips of different elastic characteristics and/or of different shaped corrugations or deformations, the second set of rollers may be eliminated without departing from the scope of the invention except as specified in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for deforming metal strips, a pair of die rollers formed with intermeshing die teeth for forming corrugations in a metal strip, a. second set of die rollers for receiving the corrugated strip and provided with intermeshing die teeth for changing the pitch of the corrugations thereof, the die teeth of the first set of rollers having a circular pitch diifering from the circular pitch of the die teeth on the second set of rollers, and drive means for the rollers, said drive means imparting a peripheral speed ratio to the first and second pair of rollers substantially proportional to the circular pitch ratio of the die teeth thereof.

2. In a machine for deforming metal strips, a pair of rollers formed with intermeshing die teeth on their peripheries, a second pair of rollers having intermeshing die teeth on their peripheries, the circular pitch thereof being less than that of the die teeth of the first set of rollers, drive means for said rollers, guide means for guiding two separate strips of metal into the first rollers in superimposed relation for corrugating therebetween, and guide means between the two pairs of rollers for guiding the corrugated strips into the second set of rollers.

3. In a machine for deforming metal strips, a pair of rollers formed with intermeshing die teeth on their peripheries, a second pair of rollers having intermeshing teeth on their peripheries, the circular pitch thereof being less than that of the die teeth of the first set of rollers, drive means, and driving connections between the drive means and each pair of rollers for imparting a more rapid peripheral speed to the first rollers.

4. In a machine for deforming metal strips, a pair of die rollers formed with intermeshlng die teeth, means for mounting said rollers to provide a bottom clearance for the die teeth thereof substantially equal to the thickness of the metal strip, a second set of rollers adapted to receive the corrugated strip from the first set of rollers, said second set of rollers having intermeshing die teeth of less circular pitch than the die teeth of said first set, means for mounting said second set with the die teeth thereof spaced to provide a large bottom clearance relative to the bottom clearance of the teeth of said first set, and drive means for the rollers for imparting a peripheral speed ratio to the first and second set of rollers substantially proportioned to the circular pitch ratio of the die teeth thereof.

5. In a machine for deforming metal strips, a pair of rollers formed with intermeshing die teeth adapted to corrugate a metal strip, a second set of rollers adapted to receive the corrugated strip from the first set of rollers and having intermeshing die teeth formed with a relatively great bottom clearance whereby only the sides of the corrugations are engaged thereby, the die teeth of said second set of rollers having a circular pitch less than that of said first die teeth, whereby the corrugations of the strip passing therebetween are reduced in pitch, and drive means for said rollers.

LAWRENCE C. SMITH. STANISLAUS PRZYBOROWSKI. 

